Pros who use 'Lite' rackets

I'm interested to know if any pro players (apart from Agnieszka Radwanska) use 'lite' model rackets. I play with a Yonex Vcore Lite and I find that despite it weighing only 270g, it can still pack a pretty good punch. I personally would've thought that some of the smaller female players like Kimiko Date Krumm and Sara Errani would use lighter frames but obviously most don't. Anyway, does anybody know of any players who do use them?

Saw Dennis Kudla's sticks and they said 336g with swing weight of 298 on the custom label, took photo but didn't come out. Seemed pretty light sw.

Click to expand...

Those are unstrung. Add strings and overgrip and you've got over 330 SW and something like 355 grams mass.

On topic...in the case of pros...even if they use the "lite" model, there's no way of knowing if they haven't been heavily modified unless somebody gets measurements of the ACTUAL sticks they use, not just the "model".

Those are unstrung. Add strings and overgrip and you've got over 330 SW and something like 355 grams mass.

On topic...in the case of pros...even if they use the "lite" model, there's no way of knowing if they haven't been heavily modified unless somebody gets measurements of the ACTUAL sticks they use, not just the "model".

Click to expand...

All I can is they felt pretty light when strung, and his lead placement was much different than the other players. Very interesting to see how the guys lead up their sticks.

Power Player.....
W O W !!
I thought you were a confirmed heavy racket, moderate head light balance guy.
I used to be, using 12.4 oz rackets for 3 years, and mid 11 oz LMRads before that, but I"ve found I can play better more often, especially tired, with a 10 oz Aero500, some weighted, some not. And now playing once every other week, it's just plain easier, allowing me to strategize and think while I play, instead of just trying, unsuccessfully, to contantly hit a heavy ball.

Power Player.....
W O W !!
I thought you were a confirmed heavy racket, moderate head light balance guy.
I used to be, using 12.4 oz rackets for 3 years, and mid 11 oz LMRads before that, but I"ve found I can play better more often, especially tired, with a 10 oz Aero500, some weighted, some not. And now playing once every other week, it's just plain easier, allowing me to strategize and think while I play, instead of just trying, unsuccessfully, to contantly hit a heavy ball.

Click to expand...

Yeah i have been forever..its crazy. But i have gotten leaner and dropped weight. Notice in third sets that my serve just gets harder and harder to execute.

Played in oppressive heat last week with a 329 strung up racquet and could serve big even while i felt wiped out..huge difference..the key is a more head heavy balance and a healthy swingweight. Dont think i could play with a light stick that is too head light

Cool.
I got my 3 Aero500's from here, TW. Got one weighed at our local tennis store, and it came out 330 SW with my strings attached.
I knew the SW couldn't be 308, as listed, because it's not all that different than my 200's or LMRads.
Today, in muggy 65 degree wet drizzle, using old, soft DunlopHDHardcourtChamps, I had no pop whatsoever on my serves, so will try my 200's tomorrow.
Warming up, I hit over 40 serves, and only a couple went IN and hit the backfence up above a foot. Those were with older and softer balls, of course.

I was using a heavy racket (350g) for a while, but when I decided to randomly try a lighter racket (305g) I couldnt believe how much easier it was to play with so much more consistancy. I was annoyed I hadn't switched sooner.

I cannot believe reading such stuff. a heavier racket only helps of you have faster and longer strokes. If you prefer punching balls back a light "trampoline" racket is the best choice.

higher racket mass only helps if you swing it fast because that is the way you create momentum with with. (f=m*a)

Click to expand...

i cannot believe im reading your post, as it is not very helpful.
1. what is a trampoline racquet?
2. do you think "f" stands for momentum?
3. if your racquet is heavy, you will not be able to swing it as fast as a light racquet - and you dont have to do so!

If pros are using sub 12 ounce racquets.... are we really just kidding / convincing ourselves that we need heavy racquets?

Click to expand...

Of course we are. Most amateur players' racquet considerations are ridiculous. We don't have anywhere near the same power, we don't have anywhere near the same consistency. Yet we all attempt to mimic pro players' equipment. I do the same, even though I know it's ridiculous. It's almost as if I'm hoping for some kind of magic that will transfer the pros' abilities to me as soon as I start using their equipment

Of course we are. Most amateur players' racquet considerations are ridiculous. We don't have anywhere near the same power, we don't have anywhere near the same consistency. Yet we all attempt to mimic pro players' equipment. I do the same, even though I know it's ridiculous. It's almost as if I'm hoping for some kind of magic that will transfer the pros' abilities to me as soon as I start using their equipment

Click to expand...

Of course, its not like we use heavy racquets "just because". I do feel I hit heavier shots with my current stick.

I don't.
Using 11.4 oz LMRAds for 2 years, then Dunlop200's around mid 12's strung, now using 10.2 oz 500's that might weigh 10.7 strung.
Most of my peers at 4.0 don't hit hard. I can crush balls with either light or heavy rackets.
Against the occasional hard ball, what sense is fighting fire with fire? Why not add some spin, some placement, some off pace, to fight against hard hitters? After all, the hard hitters aren't 5.5's, are they? And if they are, what do I care? I"m a 4.0.
But against weak mishits, for me, a lightweight racket is much easier to put away the ball with a clean winner.

I don't.
Using 11.4 oz LMRAds for 2 years, then Dunlop200's around mid 12's strung, now using 10.2 oz 500's that might weigh 10.7 strung.
Most of my peers at 4.0 don't hit hard. I can crush balls with either light or heavy rackets.
Against the occasional hard ball, what sense is fighting fire with fire? Why not add some spin, some placement, some off pace, to fight against hard hitters? After all, the hard hitters aren't 5.5's, are they? And if they are, what do I care? I"m a 4.0.
But against weak mishits, for me, a lightweight racket is much easier to put away the ball with a clean winner.

Click to expand...

Agree with almost everything but for me, the reason why I have an almost 12 oz racquet is to deal with heavy hitters.

My first racquet was also 10.7 ounces (Kfactor 95 team). It served me fine until I tried returning heavy topspin shots from a left handed 1hbh. The racquet was so torsionaly unstable that you really feel the stick getting pushed around.

Don't get me wrong, I actually envy you for riding with a lighter stick. It seems you struck gold with the 500's and they fit your game well. If I ever find a sub 11 oz stick, flexy, with SW of around 325, I'll give it a try.

I've mentioned more than 10 times that I cannot rally as well with the lighter rackets. I just don't hit the same ball when the incoming ball is going at the 5.0 levels. A heavier racket is better, for sure.
But I don't worry too much about rallying. Set play, whether it's for fun or for records, the purpose is to win, and to win, we gotta hit what the other guy doesn't like, not set him up for his favorite shots.
Against a hard hitter in rallying, they want a hard hit ball.
Against a hard hitter in set play, they dread low skidded slices, short angles, and high loopers.
And against soft hitters who slice and dink, misdirect and angle, a light racket, for most players, is easier to hit the countering ball, which often is more of the same against the guy who started the style of play.
I hear ya when you say you would use a light stick if it works for you.
For me, I can't match power for power, being slight in build and out of shape. So I need to hit the weirdo shots, the short angles, slices, loopy forehands, and teasers to win as many points as possible, but more important, to take a big hitter slightly out of his game so my big shots can start to work against him.
In summation, using a heavy racket against a big hitter is basically grooving him to hit his best shots.

I'm back on these boards after a several-year long hiatus and it immediately feels like home- I'm so glad this heavy vs. light argument hasn't been settled yet

I grew up playing with a very heavy + headlight racquet and I can't get used to the light ones. Light + headlight - too much work for me to put pace on the ball. Light + headheavy - even more swingweight than a heavy racquet... makes me even more tired with my type of strokes.

Against a player who is overpowering me I have found that switching to an Oversize with my normal specs (maybe a tiny bit lighter) works better that trying a much lighter racquet for more maneuverability. I'd rather be able to return some shots deep and hard rather than return most shots shallow and weak

Sounds like poster 32 uses shorter, straighter strokes that go thru the ball.
I"m more the opposite. Heavy top on forehand, heavy slice on backhand, and the lighter racket is just plain easier to control direction.
No need whatsoever for "plough thru" because I only hit flat against slower moving balls.
Against fast incoming balls, the goal is to add more spin to it, returning it with looper with heavy top or oval sliced underspin balls.
But if you can handle the weight of racket you're using, stick with it, it's perfect for you.

Wilander Fan...
Just WHO is serving so fast against you that you can't return his serve with your "light" racket?
Is Roddick your regular practice partner?
I"m 4.0, and nobody serves past 125, even the 5.5's who occasionally drop by.

Good call, this is how I learned to play. The fact that you prefer a different racquet is exactly why this light vs. heavy question will never be answered unequivocally. There is a good reason why they make racquets with pretty much every combination of weight vs. balance

UNSTRUNG specs in table. I added STRUNG adjustments and STRUNG SPECS at the bottom. Average pro strung rate is 358.8 grams/12.6 oz with balance at .985 inch HL or 7.878 points HL. So, in general male pros use pretty heavy rackets that are about 8 points HL. Some of the lighter rackets tend to migrate toward less HL or even HH - see unstrung specs for Moya and Nadal for examples. This table does not include swing weight but it will be high too - my guess SW will be 340-380 grams.

Melzer is lite at 11.68 oz strung with 9.76 HL strung - this racket would like have a low SW too sense it is well under 12 oz and very HL. F Lopez is lite too at 11.61 oz/5.19 HL strung, but SW likely higher than Melzer since it is significantly less HL.

Not saying rec players should play pro specs but I do think 3.5 level and above should play as heavy as they can comfortably handle and even a very slight player can easily play swing weight of 320 grams. Pros are big strong athletes and rec players should not play same specs - geez, many of the pros are near or over 13 oz frames.

I'm interested to know if any pro players (apart from Agnieszka Radwanska) use 'lite' model rackets. I play with a Yonex Vcore Lite and I find that despite it weighing only 270g, it can still pack a pretty good punch. I personally would've thought that some of the smaller female players like Kimiko Date Krumm and Sara Errani would use lighter frames but obviously most don't. Anyway, does anybody know of any players who do use them?

Click to expand...

Can you give me more details on the Ynoex VCore Lite? In particular, what is the bare handle made of? That usual yellowish molded foam? Do you know the stiffness?

You will come to a point, where you find out there is no way to use less than 330 gram racket... if someone hit 200km/h serve you have to face it with a lot of mass... swingweight is not everything... hh frames are not easy to return serve...

You will come to a point, where you find out there is no way to use less than 330 gram racket... if someone hit 200km/h serve you have to face it with a lot of mass... swingweight is not everything... hh frames are not easy to return serve...

Click to expand...

Thats complete BS. I just played a guy yesterday who hits serves over 110 and my 326 gram racquet with a 2 pts hl balance was just fine.

For sure, some mass is required, but the lowest amount would depend on the individual trying to return the fast serve.
Some players purely block the ball, and would need some SW and racketmass.
Some players like to swing, either topspin or slice, or sidespin, and those might be better off with less SW and mass.
As for 120 mph serves, lucky for most of us, it seldom goes IN and it is seldom seen by our peers. Just blocking it back high and deep almost neutralizes the big serve, so it's good enough for someone who depends on his big serve to win a point outright.
And we all know, a MISHIT return is often better than a solid ball, as the weirdo bounce and unaccountable depth and direction needs good footwork and ball recognition to handle.

I was under the impression that lots of Div1 players use pretty light rackets by pro standards. Maybe not 10 oz 300 SW's, but certainly within PPlayer's parameters.
The game is evolving, and so is the equipement used to play it.

I was under the impression that lots of Div1 players use pretty light rackets by pro standards. Maybe not 10 oz 300 SW's, but certainly within PPlayer's parameters.
The game is evolving, and so is the equipement used to play it.

And if a trained, fit, athletic 20 year old can wield a 11.5 oz racket, an old fart, injured, blind, and having lost at least 40% of my athletic skills might NEED a 10 oz racket just to swat at the ball.

And if a trained, fit, athletic 20 year old can wield a 11.5 oz racket, an old fart, injured, blind, and having lost at least 40% of my athletic skills might NEED a 10 oz racket just to swat at the ball.

Funny ding....
Kiteboard here, aka Geoff, has never kiteboarded.
I, who claim surfer, tennis player, and windsurfer, have 6 kites, 3 kiteboards, but haven't used them since 2001.
BTW. I've been playing at the courts where Kiteboarder used to play, and sometimes hit with the partner he complains about all the time......
Of course, I'm in no shape to hit with him alone, but can hold my own if there is another guy on my side of the court.

as others have said, Felip Peliwo trains with Raonic using a stock Blade 98..

maybe he would lead it up if he had to face the heavy hitters of ALTA 4.0.. (falls off chair)

Click to expand...

So you really did see the (green) light. (Saw a post in another thread and thought you were joking). So you've gone from a low-swingweight, headlight (heavy-handle) stick to a higher-swingweight, light-handled stick. Pretty much reversed your weight distribution. What have you gained with the X7 310? And have you lost anything?

I'm curious because I've always played with traditional player weighting, but am looking around....